Frequent Questions

Where is the transuranic waste that will be disposed at the WIPP stored now?

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) collects waste from across the country. Most of the waste slated for WIPP disposal comes from the remediation of sites used to produce atomic weapons during World War II and through the Cold War. As these legacy sites are decommissioned, the waste currently stored at the sites is transported to the WIPP. The Department of Energy is responsible for long term stewardship, including monitoring, maintenance, and security at the site; for more information on Legacy sites and their waste, visit the Office of Legacy Management on energy.gov.